A series of GCSE revision workshops to encourage and help students with their revision for exams after the festive holiday were held at First Campus at Cardiff Metropolitan University.

More than 150 year 10 and 11 students from five high schools in South Wales – Pen Y Dre High, Afon Taf High, Porth County Community School, Willows High and Michaelston Community College – attended the workshops over two days, which focused around preparation for the English literature and language exams held after Christmas.

Steinbeck's classic

Sessions included a interactive workshop on John Steinbeck’s classic, Of Mice and Men, with the Tin Shed Theatre company, and an informative English literature and language workshop and revision session lead by Lyn Howell that helped students prepare and plan revision over the Christmas break.

Annie Davies, mentoring programme leader for First Campus, said: “At First Campus we believe it is very important to engage young people, and help them learn in fun and different ways, and what better way to do this than an interactive workshop with Tin Shed Theatre Company.

Tin Shed Theatre Workshop with English GCSE students

“With Christmas break approaching as well, we wanted to try and help the students plan their revision so that they are encouraged to study during the break in time for their exam after.

“The students all participated well in the workshops and we hope that they will take away useful information from the experience.”

First Campus has been in operation since 2002 and is a partnership between education institutions that help raise aspirations amongst student in South East Wales. The programme run a number of activities that raise awareness of progression routes into Higher Education.

'Increased students motivation'

Leigh Medlicott, head of year 11 at Pen Y Dre High School in Merthyr Tydfil, said: “The support that we have received from the First Campus project has been second to none as it has increased our students’ motivation, aspiration and confidence.

“The students are all highly capable individuals and we feel that the work they have participated in this year at Cardiff Met has been an incredibly positive introduction to higher education.”

Pen Y Dre High School has worked with First Campus and Cardiff Met on a number of occasions this year. The school recently had a pleasing inspection for their Estyn report and was last week visited by Prince Charles.

Mr Medlicott added: “We are extremely fortunate to have worked with Tin Shed and the additional tutors today – they have all brought the text and subject alive which will be of huge benefit in the students’ exams in the New Year.”

Rewarding

Lyn Stephens, teacher at Michaelston and Glyn Derw Federation, said: “It has been highly productive and rewarding for our pupils. The interactive workshop provided a deeper understanding of the play and it was a fantastic way to revise the subject.

“We would like to thank the First Campus team for all their help in making this event so positive for all the pupils who attended – many of whom have let us know how much it’s helped them.”